Trump cancels Poland trip as Hurricane Dorian barrels toward Florida

Trump cancels Poland trip as Hurricane Dorian barrels toward Florida

President Donald Trump on Thursday canceled his planned weekend trip to Poland as Hurricane Dorian barrels toward Florida. He said it was important for him to be in Washington to deal with the storm, which the National Hurricane Center predicts will make landfall on Labor Day as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds.

Trump, announcing the last-minute change of plans at a Rose Garden signing ceremony, said it was "very important" for him to be in Washington to deal with the storm, which the National Hurricane Center predicts will make landfall on Labor Day as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds.

"Our highest priority is the safety and security of the American people in the path of the hurricane," Trump said.

Trump had been scheduled to depart for Warsaw Saturday for a visit to commemorate the 80th anniversary of World War II. He said he'll be sending Vice President Mike Pence in his place.

Donald Trump, President of the USA, speaks at the closing press conference of the G7 summit on 26 August 2019, in Biarritz, France. The summit took place from 24-26 August in Biarritz. (Photo by David Speier/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It's the second time Trump has canceled a trip in recent weeks. Trump had originally been scheduled to fly from Poland to Copenhagen for his first official trip to Denmark, but canceled after leaders there mocked his desire to purchase Greenland.

Trump said he delivered the news to Polish President Andrzej Duda earlier Thursday and plans to reschedule the trip — which would have been his second to Warsaw — in the "near future."

Advertisement

Currently a Category 1 storm, Dorian is expected to strengthen into a potentially catastrophic Cat 4 and slam into the U.S. on Monday somewhere between the Florida Keys and southern Georgia.